"For Tonight We Might Die" is the first episode of the British
science-fiction television
Science fiction first appeared in television programming in the late 1930s, during what is called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary ...
series ''
Class
Class, Classes, or The Class may refer to:
Common uses not otherwise categorized
* Class (biology), a taxonomic rank
* Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects
* Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used d ...
'', a spin-off series of ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
''. It was written by
Patrick Ness
Patrick Ness Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, FRSL (born 17 October 1971) is an American-British author, journalist, lecturer, and screenwriter. Born in the United States, Ness moved to London and holds dual citizenship. He is best k ...
and directed by
Ed Bazalgette. It was released online by
BBC Three
BBC Three is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was first launched on 9 February 2003 with programmes for a 16 to 34-year-old target aud ...
on 22 October 2016 to generally positive critical reviews.
In the episode, a group of students are forced to work together when the school comes under siege by an alien race called the Shadow Kin ahead of the school's autumn prom. The episode features a guest appearance by
Peter Capaldi
Peter Dougan Capaldi (; born 14 April 1958) is a Scottish actor, director, singer and guitarist. He portrayed the Twelfth Doctor, twelfth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction series ''Doctor Who'' (2013–2017) and Malcolm Tucker i ...
as the
Twelfth Doctor
The Twelfth Doctor is an incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor, the protagonist of the British Science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Peter Capaldi in three ...
.
Plot
April, a student at
Coal Hill Academy, asks Tanya to help with the decorating for the
prom
A promenade dance or prom is a formal dance party for graduating high school students at the end of the school year.
Students participating in the prom will typically vote for a ''prom king'' and ''prom queen''. Other students may be honored ...
, Tanya declines. The four attend class with Miss Quill, a blunt and sharp woman. April hands out fliers after school to get help the decorating the prom hall. Ram attends football practice and watches as a separate shadow attaches to the shadow of another player. Tanya attempts to help out with the prom decorations but ultimately returns home after, being chased away by another shadow, and returns home to her strict mother. Charlie lives with Quill, and he questions her about a missing student and whether she killed him. She recalls giving the student her gun, and the student exploded into smoke after firing off a shot.
When April is trapped by a shadow whilst decorating the hall, Quill demands that she uses her gun to shoot the monster. The shot grazes the alien, Corakinus, resulting in him sharing April's heart after his own is displaced. Charlie reveals that he is an alien prince and that his people were at war with the Quill, and "Miss Quill", the leader of the opposition, was captured and forced to serve and protect Charlie. Rhodia was attacked by Corakinus's people, the Shadow Kin, who wiped out all but Charlie and Miss Quill, who were rescued by
the Doctor
The Doctor, sometimes known as Doctor Who, is the protagonist of the long-running BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. An extraterrestrial Time Lord, the Doctor travels the universe in a time travelling spaceship called th ...
.
Corakinus appears, crushes Quill's gun and severs Ram's leg. The Doctor arrives to rescue them. Corakinus reveals that he is here for the Cabinet of Souls, the resting place for Charlie's people after they die; the Kin believe it to be a weapon. Charlie says that the Cabinet is empty. Tanya, with assistance from the Doctor, turns on the gym's flood lights to eliminate the shadows that give the Kin substance. Ram slams Corakinus back into the rift, and the Doctor closes the breach. The Doctor gives Ram a prosthetic leg from the TARDIS, and instructs the five students and Quill to safeguard the school against alien attacks. Quill muses that she would have used the Cabinet of Souls to wipe out the Shadow Kin, but Charlie disagrees. Charlie looks into the Cabinet of Souls, revealing that it's not empty, and reassures his people with his presence.
Production

The series was created by young adult fiction writer
Patrick Ness
Patrick Ness Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, FRSL (born 17 October 1971) is an American-British author, journalist, lecturer, and screenwriter. Born in the United States, Ness moved to London and holds dual citizenship. He is best k ...
.
Ness had the idea for the show while writing an episode treatment for ''Doctor Who''. Ness stated that his idea was originally a story contained within a ''Doctor Who'' episode before he reworked it into a spin-off series.
Ness drew upon influences from his previous young adult fiction book called ''The Rest of Us Just Live Here'', specifically from creatures in that book called The Chosen Ones.
Steven Moffat
Steven William Moffat (; born 18 November 1961) is a Scottish television writer, television producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work as the second showrunner and head writer of the 2005 revival of the BBC sci-fi television ser ...
served as executive producers on the show.
The production staff aimed to gear the audience towards the
young adult
In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...
demographic, the same demographic most of Ness' works target.
The writing style for the show was influenced by prior TV series in the adolescent genre, including ''
The Vampire Diaries
''The Vampire Diaries'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural teen drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson (screenwriter), Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, based on the The Vampire Diaries (novel series), book series ...
'' and ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. The concept is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film, also written by Whedon, a ...
'' — with both series being directly name-dropped in this episode.
Minchin said that he planned to not make the series as dark as ''
Torchwood
''Torchwood'' is a British-American science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. A spin-off of the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'', it aired from 2006 to 2011. The show shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect i ...
'', a previous ''Doctor Who'' spin-off. He felt that the dark tone of ''Torchwood'' series one "drove people away" from the show and wanted to avoid a similar effect.
In an interview with ''
Radio Times
''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...
'', Minchin explained that the division to create a ''Doctor Who'' spin-off was in part because Ness had a "great idea" for it.
"For Tonight We Will Die" was directed by
Edward Bazalgette
The Vapors are an English new wave and power pop band formed in Guildford, active from 1978 to 1982 before reforming in 2016. They are best known for their 1980 hit single, " Turning Japanese", which reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart and ...
. Various
references
A reference is a relationship between Object (philosophy), objects in which one object designates, or acts as a means by which to connect to or link to, another object. The first object in this relation is said to ''refer to'' the second object. ...
to ''Doctor Who'' were placed throughout the new show by the production staff. Producer Derek Ritchie told ''
Radio Times
''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...
'': "We're kind of peppering the show with little easter eggs wherever possible."
Ritchie went on to explain that there are "little nods throughout, in design or wherever, that will always link it to the ''Doctor Who'' universe. Because that's so important to our audience as well. To feel part of ''Doctor Who'', but a new part of ''Doctor Who'' as well."
Peter Capaldi
Peter Dougan Capaldi (; born 14 April 1958) is a Scottish actor, director, singer and guitarist. He portrayed the Twelfth Doctor, twelfth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction series ''Doctor Who'' (2013–2017) and Malcolm Tucker i ...
guest-starred in the first episode as
the Doctor
The Doctor, sometimes known as Doctor Who, is the protagonist of the long-running BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. An extraterrestrial Time Lord, the Doctor travels the universe in a time travelling spaceship called th ...
from ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
''. The first episode was filmed inside of and around the location of
Cardiff
Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...
.
The main studio used was
Roath Lock Studios
BBC Roath Lock Studios is a television production studio in Cardiff, Wales. The facility houses BBC drama productions that include () ''Doctor Who'', ''Casualty'', and ''Pobol y Cwm''. The centre topped out on 20 February 2011 and filming for s ...
in Cardiff.
Release and reception
"For Tonight We Might Die" first premiered on
BBC Three
BBC Three is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was first launched on 9 February 2003 with programmes for a 16 to 34-year-old target aud ...
on 22 October 2016, alongside the following episode, "
The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo".
In 2017, the episode was reran
BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...
in the United Kingdom,
ABC Television ABC Television most commonly refers to:
*ABC Television Network of the American Broadcasting Company, United States, or
*ABC Television (Australian TV network), a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia
ABC Television or ABC ...
in Australia, and
BBC America
BBC America is an American basic cable network that is owned by AMC Networks. The channel primarily airs sci-fi and action series and films, as well as selected programs from the BBC (such as its nature documentary series).
Unlike the BBC's ...
in the United States.
The episode's BBC One airdate was at 22:45 on 9 January.
Critical reception

The episode was met with positive reviews from critics. Phil Harrison from ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' praised the episode, saying that it filled the void left by ''Torchwood''s cancelation.
Morgan Jeffrey from ''
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
'' praised the acting from the child actors that were "nailing every single beat", though he also criticised some other aspects of the episode.
''
Den of Geek
''Den of Geek'' is a UK and US-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture. The website also issues a biannual magazine.
History
''Den of Geek'' was founded in 2007 by Simon Brew in London. In 2012, DoG Tech LLC licensed ' ...
''s Louisa Mellor summed it up as "Witty, energetic ''Doctor Who'' spin-off ''Class'' wears its influences well and gets a great deal right for its target audience."
''
WalesOnline
Media Wales Ltd. is a publishing company based in Cardiff, Wales. As of 2009 it was owned by Reach plc (formerly known as the Trinity Mirror Group). It was previously known as the Western Mail & Echo Ltd.
History
The ''Western Mail'' was fou ...
'' gave the series first couple episodes a rating of five starts out of five, with writer David Prince summarizing the show as being "a bit like a British ''
Buffy''"; he also praised Cardiff for looking amazing, but opined that the show was not for children.
''
CNET''
's Richard Trenholm praised the acting, particularly that of Elsayed.
Writing for the ''
Brisbane Times
''Brisbane Times'' is an online newspaper for Brisbane and Queensland, Australia. It is owned and run by Nine Publishing, publishers of ''The Age'', ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' and other mastheads. As of 2024, the editor is Sean Parnell.
H ...
'', Melinda Houston gave the episode a rating of three and a half stars.
Catherine Gee from ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
'' criticised the "clumsy writing" of the first episode and noted that the following episode was an improvement.
References
External links
"For Tonight We Might Die"at th
BBC ''Class'' homepage*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:For Tonight We Might Die
2016 British television episodes
Class (2016 TV series) episodes
Doctor Who crossovers
selected=Television